Omniscience as God’s Perfect and Infinite Nature

As Creator all knowledge of creation would follow from God. There would be nothing which originated outside of God else there would be another eternal causeless cause. Michael Horton said, “It is impossible for God not to know everything comprehensively. Given his eternality, he knows the end from the beginning in one simultaneous act. God knows all things because he has decreed the end from the beginning and “works all things according to the counsel of his will” (Eph 1:11). This knowledge is inseparable from God’s wisdom (Ro 8:28; 11:33; 14:7–8; 1 Co 2:7; Eph 1:11–12; 3:10; Col 1:16).^[1] Every stage of creaturely existence is timelessly known by God who is the first cause of all things. Charnock explained,

If anything be future, or to come to pass, it must be from itself or from God; not from itself, then it would be independent and absolute. If it hath its futurity from God, then God must know what he hath decreed to come to pass. Those things that are future in necessary causes God must know, because he willed them to be causes of such effects; he therefore knows them, because he knows what he willed. The knowledge of God cannot arise from the things themselves, for then the knowledge of God would have a cause without him; and knowledge, which is an eminent perfection, would be conferred upon him by his creatures. ^[2]

Since there is not an eternal causeless cause other than God, God must be the first cause of all things and therefore know all things (Heb. 3:4). As the first cause, God would know each implication of his creative act. In this way God knows all things because all things come about by virtue of his creative act. Bavinck said, “God knows things not by observation, but from and of himself. Our knowledge is posterior: it presupposes their existence and is derived from it. Exactly the opposite is true of God’s knowledge: he knows everything before it exists. Scripture expresses this very clearly when it states that God knows all that happens before it happens (Isa. 46:10; Amos 3:7; Dan. 2:22; Ps. 139:6; Matt. 6:8; etc.).”^[3] Or as Augustine reasoned, “God has made nothing unknowingly; not even a human craftsman can be said to do so. But, if He knew all that He created, He created only those things which He knew. This conclusion suggests a striking but true idea: that this world could not be known by us unless it first existed; but it could not have existed unless it had first been known to God”^[4]

 However, not all things are brought about directly by God. Sin, for example, is brought about by secondary causation. God did not cause the sin (Js. 1:13). Humanity, imperfect and weak in the flesh, brings about the reality of sin. This excuses God from the charge of evil since he did not commit the sin but it also affirms God knows every good act and every evil act of his creatures without exception. Augustine helpfully explained this when he said, “our wills have power to do all that God wanted them to do and foresaw they could do. Their power, such as it is, is a real power. What they are to do they themselves will most certainly do, because God foresaw both that they could do it and that they would do it and His knowledge cannot be mistaken.”^[5]

Concerning God’s knowledge, Paul said, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Rom 11:33-36). Notice that Paul described God’s knowledge as 1) unsearchable; 2) inscrutable; 3) from himself rather than learned; and 4) a reason why God should be praised. Since Scripture describes God’s knowledge as boundless, there can be no bound imposed on God’s knowledge. As Charnock said, “If he be ignorant of any one thing that is knowable, that is a bound to him, it comes with an exception, a but; God knows all things but this, a bar is then set to his knowledge.”^[6] The only “bar” which can be set to God’s knowledge is the bar of perfection. As Bavinck said, “Scripture nowhere even hints that anything could be unknown to him.”^[7]

At times in Scripture God is presented as learning or discovering. These anthropomorphisms cannot be literally true of God because 1) the Scripture also presents God as limitless in his knowledge; 2) the Scripture presents God’s knowledge of future events as a key proof of his deity; 3) if God is pure spirit then a change in his intellect represents a change in his very being which Scripture does not permit (Js. 1:17); 4) if God’s knowledge grows or if there is a limit to God’s knowledge at any particular time, then the Scriptures are in contradiction. God is presented as learning for our benefit not as a literal statement that God has literally grown in his knowledge, understanding, or potential human action.

Those who would limit God’s knowledge most often do so because they view God’s perfect knowledge as incompatible with human free will. This is a false dichotomy. God can certainly know the free acts of creatures without the demands of fatalism. The Scripture presents the interaction of God’s will and human will in a compatibilistic fashion. God’s will and knowledge is not in competition with human will and knowledge. Instead, God accomplishes his will through the free acts of creatures (Gen. 50:20; Acts 2:23; Phil. 2:12-13). Our understanding of God’s knowledge should be exegetically, rather than emotionally, shaped.

God’s wisdom is infinite or unsearchable (Isa. 40:28). God alone knows “the way to wisdom” because he is the first cause of all and knows all things (Job 28:23-28). God often proved his exclusive deity by showing how he had perfect knowledge of all future events and was their first cause. Isaiah 44:6-8, for example, shows this relationship perfectly as God said:  “’I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.” No one has knowledge like God (Jer. 10:6-7). In Isaiah 46:9-10 God himself said, “remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’

Therefore, when we consider God’s knowledge, we should be aware there is nothing to compare to God’s knowledge. There is no direct analogy. God’s knowledge is going to be categorically different than any creaturely knowledge. When we begin to describe God’s knowledge as growing or diminishing, we are attributing that which is only appropriate for creatures to the holy God without perfection.

God’s Knowledge of His Creatures

God knows the “thoughts and intents of the heart” (Gen. 6:5). In 1 Kings 8:39 the Bible says God knows “the heart” of all people so that he can be their judge. Although these “thoughts and intents” have not been revealed by people God knows them all together. This is true not only of an individual but of each individual. This is also true timelessly since God is outside of time and unchanging. God knows every word that will be spoken before anyone spoke. David said, “Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether” (Ps. 139:4).    

God’s Knowledge and Providential Action in the World

            God knowledge and care is linked together. Charnock said, “his providence is as vast as his omniscience.”[8] Psalm 147:4-5 demonstrates the link between God’s causal relationship to creation and his perfect knowledge of everything in creation. There the Psalmist said, “He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.” 2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.” Proverbs 15:3 likewise says, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.”

Divine Knowledge in Christ

            Kenotic Christologies deny omniscience in Christ. However, if Christ was true God and true man then it would seem Jesus was omniscient in his divine nature while his human nature gained only that knowledge which was supplied to it. The omniscience of Christ is presented in Scripture. Jesus knew the thoughts of people (Matt. 12:25; Mk. 2:8). Jesus knew minutia of future events. This is demonstrated in his sending of his disciple to get a particular colt in Mark 11:2 and the meeting of a particular man in Luke 22:10. In John 16:29 the disciples confessed Jesus’ omniscience and affirmed this is one reason why they believed in him.

Comfort in Omniscience

Comfort in Our Prayers

Since God knows and acts, we should be comforted in knowing God knows and provides. Jesus said our prayer life should be built on God’s perfect knowledge and love. He said, “Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” in Matthew 6:8 just after he admonished his followers not to heap up empty phrases and just before he taught them to rely on God in prayer. In Matthew 10:29-31 Jesus reminds his disciples again that God is omniscient so they should be comforted in his care as he said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

God’s plan to redeem us is timeless and comforts us throughout our days. Paul described God’s eternal plan of redemption as “a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory” (1 Cor. 2:7).

Comfort in the Plan of Salvation

Our greatest comfort should come from God’s plan and carrying out of Jesus’ crucifixion. Although the crucifixion involved the will of many people and even the human will of Jesus, God was in complete control and God had planned this event before time began. Peter said Jesus was “delivered up by the definite plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23). This was no accident and God left nothing to chance despite the fact that he worked through the will of thousands of people so that their wills and actions converged in this one horrible and gracious moment.

---

^[1] Michael Horton, The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 260.

^[2] Stephen Charnock, The Complete Works of Stephen Charnock (Edinburgh; London; Dublin: James Nichol; James Nisbet and Co.; W. Robertson; G. Herbert, 1864–1866), 481.

^[3] Herman Bavinck, John Bolt, and John Vriend, Reformed Dogmatics: God and Creation (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004), 196.

^[4] Augustine of Hippo, The City of God, Books VIII–XVI, ed. Hermigild Dressler, trans. Gerald G. Walsh and Grace Monahan, vol. 14 of The Fathers of the Church (Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 1952), 204.

^[5] Augustine Aug., De civ. Dei 5.9

^[6] Stephen Charnock, The Complete Works of Stephen Charnock, 467.

^[7] Herman Bavinck, John Bolt, and John Vriend, Reformed Dogmatics: God and Creation (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004), 192.

[8] Charnock, 1:98.